


heteronym

by thir13enth



Category: Altered Carbon (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 00:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13845897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thir13enth/pseuds/thir13enth
Summary: same body, different man.





	heteronym

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by this [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIi-epzMktg). 
> 
> and yeah I’m a fucking nerd that likes vocabulary and one-word titles a little too much. (heteronym, in the case you were wondering, are two words that are spelled the same but sound different, such as tear in your eye when you’re crying and tear like how your heart did when you saw the final episode of Altered Carbon.)

After letting Kovacs without so much of a goodbye, Kristin only realizes her mistake when she opens the door and sees Ryker standing in front of her door.

“Hey,” he greets her, a small smile over his lips.

She swallows. “Hey,” she breathes out, barely able to get the word out. “Come in,” she adds after, turning around and pushing the heavy door a little further open to invite him in.

Her mistake only hits her now — because she doesn’t know exactly who she’s letting into her home. After all, it’s only been three days since this exact same body stepped out from her door. It could have easily been Ryker, coming back to her finally in the flesh and soul, but it could have just as easily been Kovacs, coming back to her after realizing he’s not quite ready to give up his time with her just yet.

But who knows who’s coming back through the door?

She certainly doesn't.

She watches his gait. She watches his gestures. She watches his facial expressions — but damn her for teaching Kovacs how Ryker walked, talked, and behaved because now she can’t tell the difference between Kovacs’s good acting and Ryker’s off day.

And finally, she can’t take the question pounding in her head anymore.

“Who are you?” she asks, as carefully as she can. She doesn’t want to hurt feelings, nor does she want to confess she’s started to mix the two of them together into a single lover.

There’s a moment where he just looks at her, as if he thinks that maybe the way his eyes linger on hers would help remind her who she truly loved.

“Does it matter?” he finally replies.

And that’s when the answer hits her.

She smiles then, and she comes forward to bring him into an embrace, reaching up to pull his head to her height and tiptoeing to meet his mouth.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” she whispers between his lips, hoisting herself onto his body and wrapping her legs around his waist.

Hell if she knows who's behind the body, she just needs someone to love.

**Author's Note:**

> you know where to find me on tumblr: @tak-kovacs


End file.
